Wheeled tractor



June 5, 1956 R. G. LE TOURNEAU 2,748,878

WHEELED TRACTOR Original Filed June 4, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 United States Patent WHEELED TRACTOR Robert G. Le Tourneau, Longview, Tern, assignorto R. G.

Le I}ourneau, -Inc., Peoria, 111., a corporation of California Original application June 4, 1949, Serial No. 97,121, now Patent No. 2,683,318, dated July 13, 1954. Divided andthis application March 16, 1953, SerialNo. 342,392

3 Claims. .(Cl. 180-62) This invention pertains generally to mobile tractors of the type used in earth moving and material handling operations. It more specifically applies to an improved version of the invention shown in my co-pending application Bulldozing Machine, Serial No. 727,804, filed February 11, 1947, now Patent No. 2,630,638.

This application is a division of my co-pendi ng application Bnlldozing Tractor, Serial No. 97,121, filed June 4, 1949, now Patent No. 2,683,318.

The primary object of the present invention is, therefore, to produce a machine of this type in which numerous improved features are incorporated so that the machine as a whole has improved performance and maintenance characteristics.

One object is to produce a machine in which the wheel spindles are supported in spaced bearings in rigid housings attached --to but extending' beyondtheside walls of the machine.

Another object is to ,produce amachine with an improved final case which is accurate and rigid and one in which the internal. gears are inserted through a mini- ,mum of opening which in itself simplifies the construction oftthe case and the assembly of the finished product.

An additional object is to produce an improved .machine which employs a self-contained bolted-on transmission in .lieu of the former method of installing the complete .transmission within the walls of the final 'case. This feature contributes greatly to the ,maintenancesince if trouble develops, measure transmission can be removed without removing hearings or disturbing-the wheel drive connections.

vA further object is to provide a tractor having its own electrical system, which includes a heavy duty gen erator mounted directly to and in line with the engine crankshaft, and an electric winch to utilize the output of the generator which can be located at the point of power application, and a plurality of transformerrectifier control systems in which the rectifiers are immersed in oil for cooling and to prevent corrosion, the rectifier housing being an integral part of the tractor frame so that a very large heat radiation area is present.

These and other objects will become apparent upon perusal of the specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the complete machine, with the left side wheels removed, and the blade partially cut away.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the machine looking at the front end, with the blade and cable system partially cut away.

Fig. 3 is a plan view, partly in section, of the final case detached except for transmission, generator, and engine.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, this bulldozing tractor comprises a main frame 1, which consists of upstanding gear cases 2 spaced laterally from each other by means of front spacer 3, rear engine mount 2,748,878 Patented June 5, 1956 2 structure 4, and transverse walls 5 and 6 which together with top and bottom plates (not shown) form housings 4 641 for the steering clutches. The addition of internal walls 7 to the transverse walls 5 and 6 provides an oil case 8 in which the output pinion 48 from the transmission and the bevel ring gear 49 may operate to drive cross shaft 112 journalled at 11-3 and ultimately wheels n1 The gear cases 2 are constructed in the form of a long rectangular box with open ends. The inside vertical dimension of this case is slightly larger thanthe final drive gears which operate therein. These gears are inserted through the open ends which are surrounded and reinforced by a gasket flange 9 When the gears are in place, cover plate or end wall 10 is installed and secured to flange 9 by capscrews 9a. This provides a removable section with a minimum opening through which the gears may be inserted. The size and location of theopening here does not adversely affect the rigidity of the case. In the earlier mentioned application 727,804, the wheel hubs are larger than the gears and were bolted (by capscrews) to the main case after the gears were inserted through the large opening in the side walls of the case which the wheel hubs c oye red. This largeopening had a tendency to weaken the side walls, andanother more detrimental characteristic of permitting the alignment of outerand inner bearings of the stub axles of the wheels to be dependent upon the tension of ,the capscrews, theuniformity of the gasket between the wheel hub and the case side wall, the tolerancebetween the capscrew hole, and other factorsffln the present machine, this condition has been greatly irriproved wheel hubs 1-1 which are welded :as iat 'to the case around :a relatively smaller opening 51. 'lhe outer and inner bearing cages -52 arethn machined at the same time and on the same machine so that they are imperfect alignment with eachiother. The hubs 11 s a sta brak ba k ng P at weldd h t qs 8 for association with the wheel brakes 69. Bearings 1. 4 mis tate s ia is t age 5 ,A sth f ature PnIt ism c n s th u ta t nsnis sion 12. This .tr ansmission is constant mesh with exposed clutchunits 13and isof the same general type as' that shown lace-pending application No. 735,484, and Ma c .18. .19 7. w U- a n 2 553 376 gnante d May 15, 1951. in thatiapplication, "as in previously referenced application Nd. 727,804, the gears were installed within a housing made by transverse walls in the vehicle frame and the clutch units were on shafts which projected through one of those walls. In the present instance the gear case is a compact circular housing 14 in which all the forward and reverse gears are installed in their proper mesh. Shafts 53 for the clutch units project through the outer wall 54, and the inner wall 55 has openings for the input shaft 56 and output shaft 57. The inner wall also supports the bearings for the various shafts. The complete transmission is capable of being assembled separately, in another factory if desired, and then bolted on the final case by bolts 55:: engaging inner wall 55 during assembly of this tractor.

An engine 15 with its protective hood 16 and radiator structure 17 are mounted on engine mount structure 4 including side members 58 which are welded to the inner side walls of gear cases 2 (Fig. 3). The engine crankshaft contains a flywheel in housing 59 which connects directly to the rotor of an in-line generator 18. The generator frame has a flange 18a which is secured to transverse wall 5 by bolts 18b. The shaft 60 of generator 18 in turn connects to an extension shaft 61 which projects through oil case 8 and connects to shaft 56 to provide the input power to transmission 12. Both ends of extension shaft 61 include flanges 62 for attachment to similar fianges of shafts 56 and 60.

Generator" 18 provides the necessary electric current to operate the hoist winch 19. This winch in its entirety consists of motor 20, brake unit 21, gear box 22, and cable drum 23. The drum pays out or reels in cable of the block and tackle system 24 which in turn raises or lowers blade 25. A novel A-frame indicated generally as 26 supports two sheaves 63 and 64 of this block and tackle system.

The electrical system of this machine employs a voltage regulating system such as that shown in my granted Patent 2,482,588 and also a battery charging circuit such as that shown in application No. 49,737, filed September 17, 1948, and now abandoned. On this machine, the recfifiers of both these circuits are contained in and supported by the same housing which is circular in shape and includes a cylindrical side wall 36. This housing is completely enclosed and is filled with oil to cool the rectifiers and protect them against corrosion. The bottom of this rectifier housing is integral with a bottom plate 47 which is part of the main frame, so that the heat absorbed by the oil may be radiated over a very large area.

The steering of this vehicle is similar to that shown in my co-pending application No. 764,185, filed July 28, 1947, now U. S. Patent No. 2,615,542, in which steering is accomplished by disengaging one of the air controlled steering clutches 46 so that no power is delivered to the wheels on that side.

While the particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A tractor comprising a main frame including upstanding wheel drive gear cases laterally spaced on opposite sides of the frame, transverse walls connected between the gear cases and forming a cross shaft housing, a drive shaft in said housing, an engine on the frame, an in-line generator connected to and between the engine and one of the transverse walls, a unitary transmission fastened to the far side of said other transverse wall, an extension shaft projecting through the cross shaft housing and connecting the generator shaft with the transmission input shaft, an output shaft projecting from the transmission into said housing and operative to rotate said drive shaft.

2. A tractor comprising a main frame including upstanding wheel drive gear cases laterally spaced on opposite sides of the frame, wheels journalled to said gear cases and individual wheel brakes associated with each wheel, transverse walls connected between the gear cases and forming a cross shaft housing, a main driven shaft in said housing, an engine on the frame, an in-line generator connected to and between the engine and one of the transverse walls, a unitary transmission fastened to the far side of said other transverse wall, an extension shaft projecting through the cross shaft housing and connecting the generator shaft with the transmission input shaft, an output shaft projecting from the transmission into said housing and operative to rotate said main driven shaft; means to drive said driven shaft from the transmission, and steering clutches interposed in the driven shaft on opposite sides of said shaft drive means.

3. A tractor comprising a main frame including upstanding wheel drive gear cases laterally spaced on opposite sides of the frame, transverse walls connected between the gear cases and forming a cross shaft housing, a drive shaft in said housing, an engine on the frame, an in-line generator connected to and between the engine and one of the transverse walls, a unitary transmission fastened to the far side of said other transverse wall, an extension shaft projecting through the cross shaft housing and connecting the generator shaft with the transmission input shaft, an output shaft projecting from the transmission into said housing and operative to rotate said drive shaft, the engine being mounted on the frame adjacent the rear end thereof and the unitary transmission being disposed ahead of the engine and generator.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,346,853 Sloane July 20, 1920 1,395,029 Best Oct. 25, 1921 1,606,707 Johnston et al. Nov. 9, 1926 1,654,924 Douglas Jan. 3, 1928 1,863,504 Schmid June 14, 1932 2,146,169 Baker et al. Feb. 7, 1939 2,233,318 Lewis et al. Feb. 25, 1941 2,434,693 Graham Ian. 20, 1948 2,483,473 Passelegue Oct. 4, 1949 2,523,766 Kelley Sept. 26, 1950 2,571,284 Nims Oct. 16, 1951 

